The July 4th holiday traditionally inspires some serious partying, but we shouldn’t forget that keeping things green can be just as important as lighting up the BBQ. Here are some simple tips to having a Red, White, Blue and Green Fourth of July!

Choose Biodegradable Cups, Plates and Cutlery: these options cost just about the same price as their plastic or Styrofoam counterparts – give or take a few cents. And they’re fun! Not to mention their low eco-impact over time!

Buy Local and Organic Foods: Famers Markets are popping up on every street corner; at least that’s how it seems! Take advantage of these fresh food options and spice up your holiday celebrations.

Green Grilling: Did you know there are now sustainable options for your charcoal grill? There are a variety of sustainably produced charcoal briquettes out there – including Wicked Good Charcoal, which is made from industrial scrap wood, or Kingsford Charwood, which is produced using clean-energy turbine heat. Propane is also another good option as it produces close to half the emissions of generic charcoals.

And finally …

Please remember to pick up your waste and recycle It. After this Fourth of July there are bound to be plenty of stray cans, bottles, streamers, plates, and forks littering streets and parks. Do yourself, your community, and the environment a favor by picking up all the leftover traces of your party and properly dispose of them, recycling all that you can.

Wishing you and your families a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration!

Ah winter! As of last week, the Groundhog has told us that its here to stay a bit longer. While we can’t change what happening outside, now is a good time to see if we can spice things up in the kitchen.

Even though the New England growing season is over we have more options than potatoes, onions and squash. There is a huge variety of fruits and vegetables available to us even though it’s cold outside. Below is a chart of seasonal winter foods for you to choose from:

Seasonal Fruits and Veggies for February http://wp.me/p2ocnI-fr via @explortation

If you find yourself in a bit of a food rut, try to pick out a vegetable you don’t use frequently and try a new recipe! Soups are a great option as they are warm, filling and flavorful. Try a new twist on an old favorite, or take your salad to a new level of deliciousness.

The Holiday baking seasons begins somewhere around Thanksgiving with grocery trips, food preparation and treat baking throughout December and into the New Year. When holiday time comes around your energy bills can rise considerably, what with your stove, oven, and dishwasher running overtime, and the door to your refrigerator standing open frequently as family members search for hidden treats. Thankfully, it's not difficult to keep added holiday energy costs to a minimum. Just follow these few simple tips:

Oven Tips

Don't open the oven door to take a peek at what's cooking inside. Instead, turn on the oven light and check the cooking status through the oven window. Opening the oven door lowers the temperature inside - by as much as 25 degrees - which increases cooking time and wastes energy. As long as your oven is on, cook several items at the same time. Just make sure you leave enough room for the heat to circulate around each casserole and pie plate.

Stovetop Tips

When cooking on top of your range match the size of the pan to the heating element. More heat will get to the pan and less will be lost to the surrounding air. Believe it or not, a six-inch pan on an eight-inch burner will waste more than 40 percent of the energy!

Refrigerator Tips

In addition to your stove, your refrigerator and freezer also get a real workout over the holidays. While newer refrigerators are much more energy efficient than older ones, they remain one of the largest energy consumers in your house, often accounting for as much as 15 percent of your home's total energy usage. Help your refrigerator and freezer operate efficiently and economically by keeping the doors closed as much as possible so the cold air doesn't escape. However, leaving the door open for a longer period of time while you take out the items you need is more efficient than opening and closing it several times.

Dishwasher Tips

One simple, fun, and cost-effective way to save energy at holiday time is to gather everyone together in the kitchen and wash and dry your dishes by hand. But don't keep a steady stream of hot water flowing, or you'll waste more energy than you'll save. According to research, a load of dishes cleaned in a dishwasher requires 37 percent less water than washing dishes by hand. However, if you fill the wash and rinse basins instead of letting the water run, you'll use half as much water as a dishwasher.

If you opt to use the dishwasher, wash full loads only. If you must rinse your dishes before loading them, use only cold water so you're not running up your energy bill by heating water unnecessarily.Don't forget to use the energy-saving cycles whenever possible. Dishwashers that feature air power or overnight dry settings can save up to 10 percent of your dishwashing energy costs.

Saving energy in the kitchen is a habit you should practice all year long. Throughout the holiday season and into the New Year, you'll watch your energy bills drop even as you use less of our precious energy resources - just one more thing to be thankful for this holiday season.